So I'm reading up on Rove's attack on the Tea Party, and I have to say... that's a brilliant damn strategy.
First, all Rove has to do is attack the Tea Party and eventually he'll say enough things that win some interest from Independents and maybe even some Dems. In this way he'll slowly start gliding the Repub party in a more favorable position with moderates.
Rove is one of the few people out there who can change his opinion just like that, because he has enough money to do it. I think he knows he can cut his losses with the Tea Party because they are by and large, very dumb and very unorganized, and would not be able to take him down anyway.
However, here's the interesting thing about his strategy - all Tea Partiers would never vote Dem, so there is no risk in losing a vote to the left. However, it seems like whereever the Republican party sways, there will always be that 40% of Americans who will vote Republican, no matter how crazy the party gets.
By villianizing the tea party and appearing moderate, they may just get more out of the next election... and by appearing like "Hey guys we learned our lesson! We've reformed!"